NCC calls on Chunghwa to end Internet services dispute

By Shelley Shan / STAFF REPORTER

The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday asked Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信) to resume its prior agreement with Taiwan Fixed Network Ltd (台灣固網) after the two telecoms service providers were involved in an access fee dispute.

Because of the fee dispute, Chunghwa reportedly planned to reduce the bandwidth of its interconnected network service for the Internet for Taiwan Fixed Network because the latter had not paid its service charges for three months, a move that potentially affects 5.5 million ADSL and 3.5G subscribers.

“The commission will not tolerate any telecoms company that sacrifices consumers’ interests for its own business purposes,” NCC spokesperson Lee Ta-sung (李大嵩) said at a press conference after the Chinese-language United Daily News reported yesterday that Chunghwa might cut by 20 percent the bandwidth it currently leases to Taiwan Fixed Network.

Taiwan Fixed Network said Chunghwa overcharged and the two were in the process of negotiating a price cut, the newspaper said, citing unnamed company sources.

The paper said Chunghwa’s unilateral move would further decrease the quality of Internet service for Taiwan Fixed Network’s customers.

Lee said Taiwan Fixed Network on Tuesday informed the commission about Chunghwa’s scheme, which was scheduled to take place on Wednesday.

The NCC then dispatched two groups to the two companies on Wednesday to monitor the communications between the service networks.

The commission would launch an investigation into this incident, Lee said, adding that the NCC would focus on whether Chunghwa had abused its dominant market status or if Taiwan Fixed Network had violated the Telecommunication Act (電信法).

“Taiwan Fixed Network could be fined between NT$100,000 and NT$500,000 for infringing regulations,” he said.

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